The Ace of Spades
by prucanada
Summary: Princess Madeline of Spades has always known that she would one day marry whomever would be most beneficial to her kingdom, no matter how she feels about it. And Prince Gilbert of Hearts is...strange, to say the least. PruCan Cardverse AU. Both Hetalia and Nyotalia characters.
1. Chapter 1

Rating: T

_Please note that most titles (i.e. King, Queen, Jack) are gender-neutral here, meaning that a person of any gender may be known under that title. I don't want to confuse anyone just yet!_

* * *

The King of Hearts sat uncomfortably on her throne, one corner of her mouth pulled downward in a slight frown. To her right sat her Queen, Sakura, and to her left stood her Jack, Feliciana; before her stood several of her advisors, each wearing varying expressions of worry.

"Our funds are dangerously low," said one advisor, a Nine. He glanced between the King and the Jack before continuing, "We're simply spending more than we're taking in. I propose we raise taxes by five percent."

"No, no! You can't do that!" Another advisor interjected. "We've already raised taxes by nearly seventeen percent since the King took the throne. The workers haven't had a decent pay in years, and if we just keep raising the taxes, it will only cause discontent."

The Jack looked to the King. "There must be something else we can do, Monika!" Feliciana's eyebrows were knit together in concern. King Monika shook her head once.

"How else are we to get money? We're spending the bare minimum already. We've cut the palace staff to all but the most necessary, and we haven't had any public works projects in two years. We don't have funds, and the people don't have funds; our army will have to be cut too, if this keeps up." The King's thin lips tightened.

Queen Sakura raised a hand, and all eyes turned toward the quiet woman. "We cannot risk losing our army at this time. Clubs has been watching our kingdom slide downhill with eager eyes; they would jump at the chance to take Hearts."

"Not to mention Spades. Our kingdoms haven't been friendly in decades!" Jack Feliciana added, shifting her stance a bit. She looked to King Monika again.

The King sat up a bit straighter, resting her chin in her hand as she thought. "…Spades has a lot of land. Trees, cotton, hemp, food…they're wealthy, as well."

Her advisors nodded, none of them sure where this was going.

"You aren't planning on trying to take over _their _kingdom, are you?" Feliciana frowned, putting her hands on her hips. "We can't afford that, and even if we tried, their army is bigger and better-fed than ours is! We can't—"

"I wasn't suggesting a battle," Monika said, lifting a hand to quiet her Jack. Feliciana took a step back. "I was suggesting an alliance."

Now all eyes were on the King. "Your Majesty," said the first advisor, "That's impossible. The Laws state that an alliance between kingdoms—"

"—Can only be formed with a royal marriage. I know the Laws." Her voice had taken on a condescending tone.

The Jack blinked. "But Monika, royal marriages have to be between Aces! The Spades have two Aces, but we have none! There's no way to form an alliance now! If Gilbert were still—" She bit her lip.

Monika glanced away, her shoulders pulling up ever so slightly, but her voice remained steady. "…I am aware." Her brother had been the only Ace of Hearts, and when he'd died three years ago in a fight, he'd taken all chances of an alliance with him. Monika had no other siblings, and even if she and Sakura had children, they would still be too young to be considered Aces yet. It would seem that there was no hope for the Hearts Kingdom; but there was a way around the Laws, if they were willing to use trickery. The King looked to her Queen. "…Sakura. Do you still know where to find the Joker?"

Sakura turned toward her, eyes widening slightly. "Yes," she said simply. The others in the room made various noises of confusion.

"Joker?" Feliciana asked. "You mean like from those bedtime stories?" She smiled a bit; the stories of the magical Jokers, using their magic to serve whomever offered them the best price, had been some of her favorites as a child. The Jokers were neither good nor bad; sometimes they served the villains, causing destruction and chaos. Other times, they served the heroes, offering advice and winning back kingdoms. She loved those tales; but that's all they were. Tales, myths, made-up stories. "What does that have to do with anything?"

The King remained silent, watching her Queen.

Sakura lifted her head, facing the advisors. Her hands were clasped in her lap. "The Joker is more than a simple fairy tale. It is a magical being. I know where to find it, and as long as we have something to offer it, I am certain that it will help us. An alliance with Spades is not impossible, so long as are willing to pay the price."

xxxxxx

The Kingdom of Spades was full of merriment, festivals and parties held across the expansive kingdom as all the citizens celebrated the coronation and marriage of their new monarchs. King Amelia and her husband Queen Arthur had taken their dual thrones only two days prior, and the Spadian people expected an era of peace and happiness. King Amelia had already proven to her people that she was more than capable of ruling, having been ruling the kingdom in all but name for over a year while her father was bedridden. Now that he'd passed, she'd been officially made King of Spades.

The ballroom was filled with high-ranking nobles from Spades and other kingdoms, all of whom had yet to leave after the ceremonies two days earlier, and Amelia smiled brightly at her husband as they danced across the room. Small, good-natured squabbles broke out occasionally as couples tried to dance as close to the King and Queen as they could. Toward the center of the room, Princess Madeline danced with any who asked, fulfilling her obligations as an Ace of Spades. One never knew who in this room could prove important to the kingdom, and a little politeness never hurt anyone.

At the moment, she was dancing with a Ten from Diamonds. The Kingdom of Diamonds was Spades' closest ally, and although it was doubtful that a new marriage would have to be made anytime soon (Matthew and Marianne were far too in love to end the alliance for many years), it was still important to keep up relations. Madeline wore a polite smile, nodding and making sounds of sympathy as he spoke of the state of his countryside manor. Apparently eastern Diamonds, a kingdom which prided itself on beauty and was supported mainly by tourism, had been plagued by droughts the past year. It was nothing she wasn't aware of; this was hardly her first social event. Still, it was a bit worrisome; Spades relied on Diamonds for trade, and if Diamonds had a bad year, Spades would be affected, as well.

The song ended, and Madeline was able to excuse herself with a smile and a little wave, making her way to the edge of the room. The ball would be ending soon, dying down as the nobles' attention shifted from dancing to politics. Tomorrow, many of them would be leaving the castle for their own homes, so the rest of the night would be dedicated to small complaints and news that they wished to bring to the King and Queen. If she could get out of the ballroom a few minutes early, it would give her some time to herself before then; she'd already danced and chatted enough to fulfill her Ace duties, after all.

Luckily, most of the attention was on her sister and brother-in-law, and she was able to escape out the door and into the emptier hall. Leaning back against the wall, Madeline let out a small sigh, closing her eyes and smoothing her long skirt. Though she was good at diplomacy and socializing, it wasn't something she enjoyed. Too many people, as with the room she'd just vacated, and she began to feel overwhelmed; even a few people she didn't know made her nervous. Luckily, she was also good at hiding her feelings, and was thought to be rather a social butterfly. That was more than could be said for her younger brother, Kevin; he hadn't even attended the ball tonight, he was so anxious.

After a few minutes of relaxation in the relative quiet of the hall, she could hear the party winding down. Opening her eyes and making a few adjustments to her hair and attire, she took a deep breath and headed back into the fray. King Amelia and Queen Arthur could be seen toward the front of the room, standing up on the raised dais as their thrones were brought forward. The partygoers were quieting down, though everyone was still babbling excitedly. Madeline made her way toward the dais, skirting the throng of people by sticking close to the edge of the room. Her polite smile was back in place, and she luckily managed to avoid drawing to much attention to herself. She moved to stand at the edge of the dais; she was really only there to observe, after all.

Her sister's Jack, a former Eight named Chun-Yan, came up from wherever she'd been hiding to stand to Amelia's left, and Madeline smiled; seeing her sister and Arthur in the thrones their parents had occupied for so long was a bit…surreal, really, but it was also very fitting. After all, everyone had known from the day she was born that Amelia would be King of Spades. She had grown up knowing her responsibilities, and she was more than ready to lead the kingdom.

A noble stepped forward to address a complaint he'd received from several of his farmers; apparently, they were in need of new tools, which were becoming more and more expensive and harder to find. The King and Queen promised to try and send a little extra money his way ("As long as you spend it as you should," said Queen Arthur with narrowed eyes) and, satisfied, he wished them well and left with his wife.

The evening continued thusly, and Princess Madeline was glad when the line of nobles had shrunk to just a few. Soon, the festivities would be over and she'd be able to head to her room for some peace and quiet.

A man approached the dais, and she was startled to see he wore red. Hearts Red, to be precise. What would a Hearts delegate be doing here? The two kingdoms hadn't been friendly in ages; why, Spades got on better with Stars than they did with Hearts!

"Ah, good evening to you, your Majesties," said the Hearts man. He seemed a bit nervous, and for good reason, she was sure. "I bring a request from King Monika and Queen Sakura of Hearts. They wish to form an alliance with the Kingdom of Spades." He held out a faintly trembling hand and extended a scroll of parchment, tied with a Hearts Red ribbon. The King took it, her eyebrows drawing together in confusion.

An alliance? Madeline's heart beat a little faster. An alliance would require a marriage between Aces. Oh, but surely her sister wouldn't want an alliance with Hearts? She'd only been King for two days, but she knew the kingdoms' histories as well as anyone. Brutal wars that had lasted centuries, followed by a cold period of mere decades without communication. And now Hearts was reaching out? What reason would they have for such a thing?

King Amelia skimmed over the words on the scroll before handing it to her husband to read. She fixed the Hearts representative with a cool stare. "An alliance?" she asked, her voice surprisingly calm. "I see. And what could Hearts honestly have to offer Spades?" She glanced at Madeline, who was now standing ramrod straight, hands clasped in front of her. She was considering it? Kevin was too young to form an alliance, and Madeline was nearly four years older than he; the duty would fall to her.

She lost track of most of the conversation then. It shouldn't have been a surprise to her, really; she'd been groomed since the day she was born for this very thing. That was what Aces were for, after all. To carry out their duty and make political marriages. But although it was something she had to do, the only _real_ thing she had to do, she couldn't help but feel uneasy about it. Marrying a total stranger for any reason would be infinitely worse than standing in a crowd of people for any length of time. Her head felt hot.

"…Line? Madeline. Maddie!" Amelia was calling her, and Madeline looked up with a start, not having realized that she'd dazed a bit.

"I…yes, sorry. I'm listening." Now.

Her sister frowned, a look of concern in her eyes. Arthur spoke up from his throne. "We think it would be in the interest of both of our kingdoms to form an alliance with Hearts." He sent her a pointed glance, and her clothes felt suddenly too tight, her breath caught in her throat. An alliance. A marriage. She'd have to marry an Ace of Hearts.

"But," Amelia cut in, "You have a say in it, too. We're not gonn—going to marry you off if you don't want to."

A knot seemed to untangle itself in her stomach. She didn't have to marry the Ace. She could continue her life here, as it was. She opened her mouth to say no, thank you, she was quite content here; but she paused. An alliance would benefit both their kingdoms, Arthur had said. Hearts and Spades both. …Wasn't her kingdom more important? Surely she could handle a marriage. She only had to put on a polite face and…live with someone she'd never met. It wouldn't be so bad; she could handle it. Couldn't she?

The knot in her stomach was back.

A moment passed, and Arthur seemed about to speak again, his brow furrowed. Madeline spoke first, however, her voice even quieter than it usually was. "No. I…I will do it. If…." She halted, fisting her hands in the skirt of her dress and forcing herself to focus only on Amelia. She calmed a bit and continued, "If it will benefit Spades, then I have no qualms marrying an Ace of Hearts."

Arthur and the Hearts representative smiled at her and nodded, moving on to discuss details of the alliance. Madeline dropped her gaze from her sister's worried eyes.

She was going to be sick.

* * *

**Author's Note:** _First fanfic posted on this account! I can't promise how often it will update, but I have most of it outlined and plenty of notes. If you have any questions, feel free to send me a private message, and I'll see if I can help you._

_The characters appearing in this chapter are Monika (Nyo!Germany), Sakura (Nyo!Japan), Feliciana (Nyo!North Italy), Amelia (Nyo!America), Arthur (England/Britain), Madeline (Nyo!Canada), Kevin (Molossia) and Chun-Yan (Nyo!China). I hope you like Nyotalia, because this fic is full of it._

_I know that most Cardverse fics talk about only the main four card suits, but I felt it necessary to add one or two more. There are five- and six-suited decks of cards that include suits such as Wheels, Doves, and Stars; I might talk about Stars a bit more in later chapters._

_Thanks for reading! If you could leave a review for me, I'd really appreciate it! :D_


	2. Chapter 2

Rating: T

Thanks to my friend Kyalovepasta24 for beta-ing this!

_Notes: Once again, most titles are gender-neutral. Prince and Princess, however, are masculine and feminine._

* * *

Sighing, Prince Gilbert leaned his cheek into the palm of his hand, staring out the window of the little carriage as the Spades countryside rolled by. Boring. This was so boring! He let out a groan, rolling his head back to stare up at the sky instead. Couldn't they have found some more interesting way for him to travel?

Across from him, the King scowled, arms crossed over her chest. "What is it now, _Gilbert_?" She spat out his name, teeth clenched, and he grinned.

"I'm bored. Entertain me, _sister_." He could make his voice sound just as venomous, if not more so. His grin widened when he saw the King stiffen, her lips pinching together to form a tight line.

"Don't call me that." Her voice had taken on a cool tone, her expression quickly reverting to a neutral one. She glanced away, out the window, and Gilbert let out a laugh. It was so easy to ruffle her feathers.

Monika sighed, shifting to sit up straighter. She sent another quick look at him, feeling a little twinge in her chest. Her brother…. It had been astonishing, at first, to see him standing in front of her. He looked…just as she remembered. Hair so blond it was nearly white, tousled and messy. Mouth curled up into that cocky smile he always seemed to wear. And his eyes…a pale blue that was just a shade lighter than her own, shining with a spark of mirth. She hadn't thought she'd ever see him again, and she remembered with agitation how she'd stretched a hand out to him, her eyes stinging with unshed tears. He was her brother, and yet…he wasn't.

Her brother was dead, she had to remember that. Just because he looked like Gilbert had didn't mean he _was _Gilbert. He didn't even act like him…. This new Gilbert, this fake Gilbert, was crass and cruel. He held no empathy for anyone, she was sure.

"What should I call you, then, if not sister?" The man leaned his cheek into his palm again, drumming his fingers lazily against his temple. "Monika? King of Hearts? Your Highness?" He leaned closer to her, dropping both hands into his lap. "Master? Mistress? Go on, then. What did I call you before I died, hm?"

She shook her head. "Just call me Monika, and leave me be." After a moment, she stood, eyes turned carefully away from him. "…I'll be back."

"Ooh, where are you going? Off to check on your tiny little Queen? I'm sure she's fine." He waved a hand dismissively. "…But if you're leaving, why don't you send in that Jack of yours? She's cute. Feisty, too. I like her." He gave her a toothy grin.

The King was silent for a moment. "…Have you forgotten why you're here?" Her hand was on the door of the carriage. "You're our Ace now. You need to marry the Spades' Ace. There's no point in flirting with Feliciana; we'll be at Spades Castle in two days."

"Just because I'm gettin' married doesn't mean I can't have a little fun beforehand." He laughed again, different this time; it sounded like a cross between a chuckle and a hiss. Her brother had never sounded like that.

She didn't reply, simply opening the door and hopping out of the still-moving carriage, steadying herself on the dirt road. She shut the door and watched as it continued on its journey. One faded red carriage in a line of a dozen more. In a few days, the alliance between their two kingdoms would be finalized; she just hoped that it would be worth the deal she'd had to make.

xxxxxx

"Are ya sure, Maddie?" Amelia rested one hand on her sister's knee, sitting beside her on Madeline's bed. She'd asked her this at least twice a day since the ball had ended, over a week ago. "I mean, I know ya wanna help, but we don't…_need_ an alliance with Hearts. You don't hafta—"

"No, Amy. I want to." She smiled a bit, patting the King's hand. "If an alliance with Hearts will help Spades, then I'm more than willing to do it. …Besides, it's a little late to back out now, isn't it? They'll be here in a day or two. It would be bad for your reputation to send them home, wouldn't it?" Maddie reached up to brush her bangs out of her eyes, sitting up straighter.

Amy shook her head. "Well, it would, but…I'd still do it, if you changed your mind. …I know you're shy and nervous. So if there was anything else I could do…."

"But there isn't. You want an alliance, and that requires me to marry the Ace of Hearts. The only other thing you could do would be to force Kevin into the same position I'm in." Which would be much worse, both for him and for whoever this other Ace was. No, Madeline had made her decision a week ago, and she was sticking to it. "Amelia, I'll be fine." She placed a hand on her younger sister's shoulder. "We both knew this day would come, just as we both knew that one day you would be King. I'll do my duty, and everything will be just fine." She cupped her sister's cheek, hoping her smile reached her eyes.

Amelia nodded, reaching out to pull her into a tight hug. "You're really brave, sis. I'm proud of you." She squeezed her, and Maddie let out a small, breathy laugh.

"Proud of me? Proud of me, for getting married? Amy, that's ridiculous. Everyone gets married—most people, anyway. If anyone should be proud, it should be me." Maddie patted her little sister's back. "You're the King, after all. Amelia Eleanor Jones, King of Spades." She grinned then, a genuine smile. "I really am proud of you, by the way. You'll be a great King." It was true; she'd changed quite a bit from the rowdy, rambunctious child she used to be. She'd matured, Madeline supposed. Grown into the role that had always been meant for her.

"Well, yeah. Being King _is_ pretty great." Amy let out a small laugh, releasing her older sister. "But I really _am_ proud of you. I know it's hard for you, and I hope you'll be happy."

They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments, knees brushing against each other's. Surprisingly, her sister's words had helped to relax her a bit. She'd been worrying about the marriage all week, though she'd been careful to hide it; she felt better now, though. She felt like she was doing the right thing, and that she'd do well. Whoever the Ace of Hearts was that they'd chosen to send (and she still didn't know their gender or age, let alone their _name_), she hoped they'd get along. Maybe they were nervous, too; perhaps it would make things a bit easier.

Amelia stood. "I need to go find Artie," she said, a hint of reluctance in her tone. "Chun-Yan is visiting her family in the city today, so we're stuck with extra work." She gave Maddie's cheek a light pinch, chuckling at the exaggerated scowl on her face. "I'll see you at dinner, alright?"

Maddie nodded. "Alright, then. Take care." She waved to Amy as she left, then dropped both hands into her lap. Well, now what was she to do? It was still early afternoon, so perhaps a quick ride around the track? If she was lucky, Arthur's younger brother Peter would be there; she did love to chat with him. He was just a year younger than Kevin was, and in training to be a knight like his older brothers were. When she could, Maddie liked to go to the stables and go for a horseback ride with him and listen to him prattle on about this and that.

Really, that seemed like the best thing to do for the afternoon; Peter was always good for keeping her mind off her worries. Her mind made up, Madeline stood and headed out the door.

xxxxxx

"Finally, we're here!" Gilbert jumped out of the carriage as it came to a stop in front of the Spades castle, waving away the attendants that came to help him. He eyed the palace appraisingly for a moment before giving a big half-grin. "Nice place."

Spades Fortress, as the castle was officially called, was a sizeable structure of gray stone. The building itself was round, albeit a bit too oblong to be a circle, and had four stories. Three tall watchtowers stood at intervals around the sides of the castle: the King's Tower, the Queen's Tower, and the Jack's Tower, as they were called. Supposedly, the dull gray stones that made up the walls of the castle would sparkle faintly blue during the light of a full moon. Gilbert wouldn't mind seeing that sometime. But first….

"Alright, take me to the bride-to-be! Tell her that her prince has arrived!" He laughed, taking up a wide stance. The Spades attendants whispered nervously to each other; how would the Princess deal with such an exuberant spouse?

The King of Hearts stepped out of another carriage with her Queen, annoyance clear in her expression. "Gilbert," she snapped, "Mind your manners. You are here on business."

Gilbert laughed again. "Fine, fine. I'll be _calm_," he sneered. "But if I'm gonna be gettin' married soon, can ya blame me for bein' a little _excitable_?" Gilbert smirked at Monika, feeling pleased as her scowl deepened.

A dark-haired woman approached them, her face a neutral mask. The colors and cut of her outfit identified her as the Jack of Spades, and she nodded to them. "Greetings," she said calmly. "I am Jack Chun-Yan, and I welcome you to the Kingdom of Spades."

King Monika nodded, her expression softening a touch. "I am King Monika of Hearts. This is my wife, Queen Sakura, and my…brother, prince Gilbert." There was a slight hesitation in her voice as she spoke the word "_brother,"_ and she hoped the Jack wouldn't notice.

If she noticed anything, Chun-Yan gave no indication. She nodded once more, giving the Ace of Hearts a once-over. Chun-Yan had been Jack to Amelia's father and mother as well, and she was quite attached to their children. She knew very well how Madeline felt around people, no matter how well she hid it, and she wanted what was best for the girl.

Unfortunately, this man seemed utterly wrong. Loud and cocky, from what she'd seen a few moments ago. And now he was staring her down with a little smirk, his head tilted back and one eyebrow cocked. It was enough to make her grimace at him, and she turned away. "Please, follow me. I will show you to your rooms." Madeline would never be able to handle a spouse like him. She'd become far more introverted and nervous around him, she was sure. Of course, Chun-Yan had no say in this. She was in charge of finances and a few minor things; the King and Queen were in charge of things like political relations and the military. And of course, if Madeline wanted to go through with this, she couldn't exactly stop her.

The three, plus the Jack of Hearts who came tumbling out of a third carriage, followed Chun-Yan into the castle and to their rooms. "I apologize for not taking you to the King and Queen immediately upon your arrival," she said, though she didn't sound very apologetic at all, "But they are away at the moment. Please, feel free to wander about the castle, and they shall summon you when they return." She gave a small bow and retreated from the room.

King Monika sighed once the four of them were alone. "Alright, we've come this far," she said. "Now, once…_Gilbert_ has married their Ace, we can go home and get back to work." She massaged her forehead with her fingertips, Sakura giving her a gentle pat on the back.

Jack Feliciana spoke up. "Well, the wedding should be soon, right? Ve, and the King will give us money now that we're allies! Oh, the people will be so happy!" She grinned, and Gilbert snorted lightly, moving to wrap an arm around her shoulders.

"Yeah, yeah. Just don't forget what the three of you have to do, since you _did _make a deal." He winked. "Say, Feli…once this whole marriage business is over with, how about you an' I go out sometime?"

Feliciana frowned, staring at him. "…Wouldn't that be cheating? You'd be married!"

He raised an eyebrow. "What Little Miss Ace of Spades doesn't know won't hurt her, right?" He gently touched her cheek, and Monika made a scoffing noise, turning away with Sakura.

Feliciana was silent for a moment. "…You do realize that I can break your arms right now, yes?" She glared at him, and he removed his arm slowly, cocky grin still in place.

"Fine, fine. Just know that the offer still stands, alright?" He gave her another wink before putting his hands behind his head and turning toward the door. "Anyway, I think I'll go explorin' for a bit. Maybe I'll find the little Princess an' have a nice chat before we get hitched, hm?" He laughed, reaching out to open the door. Hopefully the marriage wouldn't be too bad; worse things _had_ happened to him before. Still, he didn't know anything about the girl besides her name and gender, which was something he honestly couldn't care less about. He hoped he'd at least be able to _see_ her before the wedding. What went on during weddings, anyway? He'd never actually been to one, now that he thought about it. Would there be cake? He hoped there'd be cake.

xxxxxx

The King and Queen of Spades didn't return until early evening, and they met with the Hearts monarchs as soon as they were able. It was decided that the wedding would be held the next day, with the Hearts returning to their kingdom two days later.

King Amelia left the meeting feeling a bit apprehensive. Spades and Hearts hadn't had good relations in decades, if not centuries, and here she was, about to form an alliance with them. The Spadian people would love her even more, and with Hearts as an ally, they would have more tools and weapons, enough that the people wouldn't have to sell an arm and a leg for a shovel and a pickax.

Still…her sister was the one doing the most for this alliance. Technically, she was doing everything, as the alliance would officially begin the moment she and Hearts' Ace were wed.

She hadn't even met their Ace yet, neither Amelia nor Madeline. What was he like? Would he treat her sister right? He'd better. King Amelia certainly didn't want a war, but she'd start one to keep her sister safe.

* * *

_Author's Note: I feel weird about writing Gil like this. Usually I write him as more of a dork, but then again this is the first chapter he appears in. There'll be room for character development._

_I really hope this chapter wasn't too disappointed! I actually wanted to write a couple of other scenes, but I suppose that'll have to wait until Chapter 3. _

_Don't expect the next update to be as fast as this one was, though! Please leave a review, let me know what you think of this story so far. Thanks! :D_


	3. Chapter 3

Rating: T

_Warnings: There is some reference to sexual activity toward the end of the chapter, but it's nothing more than a few lines and nothing actually _happens._ Sorry if I spoiled anything for you by telling you that._

* * *

"Are you ready, Maddie?" Amy moved her hands up to straighten the collar of her sister's pale blue wedding gown. The ceremony would begin in just a few minutes, and though they'd both been through this not even two weeks before (albeit with opposite roles), Amelia couldn't help but feel nervous for her sister.

Madeline nodded, her lips trembling slightly as she took a breath. This was her purpose, after all. The clock had chosen her sister to be King, and thus it had chosen her to be an Ace, to marry for her kingdom. She still hadn't met the man she'd be marrying, but at least now she knew his name: Gilbert Beilschmidt. His last name was a mouthful; hopefully he wouldn't mind if she kept her own. Though that was really the least of her worries.

"I'm ready," she said after a moment. Amelia nodded slowly, lifting a hand to her cheek.

"Okay. I love you, Maddie." Wrapping her arms around Maddie's shoulders, she hugged her, gentle enough not to ruin the gown and makeup, but firm enough that Maddie was able to draw a little more comfort from the touch. Amelia pulled back, a little smile on her lips, and gave her a pat. "Go on, then. Let's go getcha married."

In absence of her father, Queen Arthur had gallantly volunteered to walk Princess Madeline down the aisle. He offered her his elbow with a smile. "Shall we then, love?"

She took his arm, her stomach feeling as though it was full of birds, or butterflies; something that made her insides flutter. She could hear the music start from inside the chapel, violins and cellos playing a cheerful tune; the Spadian Wedding Song.

Amelia, walking in front of her, stepped inside the chapel, walking down the aisle to take her place as Madeline's attendant. Arthur reached over and pulled Maddie's veil down to cover her face; wonderful. Now she could barely see anything, save for shapes, through the thin white cloth. He then handed her a bouquet of blue roses, which she carried cradled in her free arm as they started down the aisle, moving at a snail's pace. The room was lit by candles and lamps, the sun already sinking behind the hills in the distance.

They came to a stop at the edge of the dais, Arthur helping her to step up onto the raised platform before moving to stand behind Amelia.

Maddie turned to face the man she'd be marrying, his figure obscured by her veil. His hair was either white or a very light blond, and his eyes were a light color, likely blue. She could see the line of his mouth, curled into what might have been a crooked smile, or a smirk. Either way, seeing him standing in front of her like this, and knowing they were about to be married, did nothing to help the swarm of butterflies in her internal organs.

Chun-Yan took her place behind the podium that had been placed there and began to speak. She said less than she had at her sister's wedding; of course, that had been a wedding between the King and Queen, whereas this was simply the marriage of two Aces. The small crowd, consisting of family and friends, as well as a few knights and a noble or two, quieted, listening.

The man in front of her was staring at her now, and she blushed, though she knew he couldn't see her through the veil. His mouth widened a bit, his smile seeming to grow.

"Prince Gilbert Beilschmidt of Hearts," Chun-Yan said, turning her head to look at him. "Please recite your vows."

The man held his head higher, and Maddie tightened her grip on the bouquet in her hands. "I, Gilbert Beilschmidt, take you, Madeline Williams," his voice carried an accent foreign to Spades, and he spoke with confidence, "To be my partner, loving what I know of you, and trusting what I do not yet know. I eagerly anticipate the chance to grow together, getting to know the woman you will become, and falling in love a little more every day. I promise to love and cherish you through whatever life may bring us."

He spoke of knowing each other, and of love; but they had never spoken before, would likely never fall in love. Arranged marriages rarely held anything more than tolerance, after all.

Chun-Yan nodded once. "The God hears your promises and trusts you to honor them." The Jack turned to Madeline then, and she felt her mouth go dry. "And now, Princess Madeline Jones of Spades. Please recite your vows."

Maddie swallowed, looking down at Gilbert's feet. She would just have to put on the polite mask she always wore, and pretend she was simply speaking to a knight, rather than saying her wedding vows. Glad no one could tell where she looked, she spoke the same vows herself. Her voice had always been quiet, and she struggled to make herself heard; her voice didn't waver, however, for which she was glad.

When she'd finished, Chun-Yan spoke again. "The God hears your promises and trusts you to honor them." Here, a teenaged boy, Peter Kirkland, stepped up, carrying a case covered in purple velvet. Opening the case, he revealed two golden rings, one set with a single faceted ruby, the other a glimmering sapphire. Gilbert reached for the red, and Madeline for the blue, their fingers brushing slightly as they pulled the rings out.

She flushed red again, pulling her hand back perhaps a bit too quickly, and Gilbert made a sound that could have been a snort of amusement. She was being ridiculous, making such a fuss over something as simple as fingers grazing; in a moment, they'd be holding hands.

Gilbert reached his hand out first, palm up, and she managed to place her hand in his without any show of hesitation. His hand was cool, far more than her own skin must have been, and he carefully slid the ruby ring onto her fourth finger with deft fingers. She did the same to him, glad her fingers didn't give away the trembling she felt on her inside, and the two of them intertwined their fingers.

"These rings are a symbol of the promises made here. Do not remove them flippantly." Chu-Yan nodded to Peter, who retreated to his brother's side. "The God sees your promises and trusts you to honor them. By your oaths, you have declared yourselves husband and wife; you may now kiss your spouse."

Releasing her hand, Gilbert reached over and took hold of her veil, pulling it up and leaving it to drape over the back of her head. She could see details now; he had a strong jaw and pale skin, his lips thin. His nose was long and seemed to have been broken once, healing slightly crooked. His mouth was indeed turned up in a smirk, and she felt her cheeks heat further, hoping the blush wouldn't be too bright. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers, his hands resting against her hips.

His mouth was cold, too, his lips hard and unmoving. The kiss lasted barely a second before he'd pulled back again, his eyes seeming to sparkle with a kind of mischievous light. She blinked at him, curiosity wedging itself in amongst all the nervousness and fear; he winked in return, turning to face the crowd, who had begun to clap and cheer. A hand touched her shoulder, and she glanced back to see her sister, smiling proudly at her.

That was worth it, she supposed. Making her sister and her kingdom happy was all that really mattered. She couldn't help sneaking another glance at her new husband, though, and then another at the ring on her finger. She could do this. She was an Ace of Spades.

xxxxxx

When the ceremony had ended, the two had joined hands again and were escorted to a separate wing of the castle. The wing consisted of several rooms: a bathing room, several private servants' rooms, and a large bedroom for the two of them. This was where they would be spending the first two weeks of their marriage, before they would be given a home to themselves.

The butterflies had left, only to be replaced by a solid knot of worry in the pit of her stomach as the entourage left them alone. Her sister had been the last to leave, giving Maddie a rather worried look as she'd said goodbye.

Gilbert looked down at her, and she glanced up at him from under her eyelashes. His expression was one of amusement, or arrogance; perhaps both. "So, _Madeline_," he said, stretching and elongating her name in the way a child might, "Let's go check out our new bedroom, huh?" He tugged her by the hand through the biggest door, excusing the two servants who stood inside. He released her hand and plopped onto the gigantic, dark blue bed, laying back and stretching his arms out over his head. "Aw, man!" he said loudly, "This thing's so soft; what's it stuffed with, down?" He sat up, looking over at her with a crooked smile. "Come try this thing out! Come sit down!"

She blinked at him in confusion. She had expected the first words he spoke to her to be something about the wedding, or what he expected of her; she certainly hadn't expected him to seem so…playful. In a way, he reminded her of her sister, what with his manner of speech and silly actions. She wished the similarities would calm her instead of making the knot of worry tighten as they did.

Stepping forward, she cautiously sat on the edge of the bed, putting roughly two feet between the two of them. Was she supposed to say something? This wasn't like a ball, or some other sort of social event. This was her wedding day—or rather, her wedding night, as the sun had set nearly an hour ago. The butterflies were back, the knot growing. Would it be impolite to excuse herself to the bathroom right now? Did politeness matter in a situation like this?

She hadn't realized how long she'd been sitting in silence until Gilbert sat up, scooting a little closer to her. "You don't say much, do ya? What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" His voice had a teasing, almost mocking tone, and her eyes met his with trepidation.

She glanced away after a moment, one hand pressing subtly against her stomach in an effort to settle her nerves. "I…." She was silent again. A quiet, understanding husband; that's really all she'd asked for, wasn't it? And instead, Gilbert was making fun of her on their wedding night. What was she supposed to do? How was she supposed to act? Should she be polite, put on her mask? Should she stay silent?

"You? You what? …You're kinda boring, you know." Gilbert sighed, and she felt him brush at a piece of her hair.

She stiffened, sucking in a quiet breath. Why was he touching her? Surely he didn't want to be…intimate with her already? Whether he thought her boring or not, she was too nervous to want anything of the sort just yet.

She felt him lean closer, and felt the cool skin of his hand touch her shoulder. "You're pretty, though. Not as bad as I thought you'd be." He laughed quietly, and this time it held none of the mocking tone it had before. Still, she sat stiffly on the edge of the bed. "You should talk more," he said, leaning closer so that Maddie could feel his hot breath on her neck. She shivered, and he chuckled, reaching up to cup her cheek.

"Please," she said quietly, hands white-knuckled fists in her lap. He paused at the sound of her voice. "Please, can we…not." She didn't want physical intimacy, didn't want to consummate the marriage just yet. She didn't know this man, and despite the fact that he was her husband, she could barely even make eye contact with him, let alone physical contact.

Gilbert fell silent, his hand unmoving on her shoulder. For a moment, she thought he'd make some cutting remark, grab onto her tighter; instead, he gave another chuckle, pulling away from her. "'Can we not?' You finally speak up and _that's _what you say? Boring, boring, boring. How'd I get stuck with such a stick-in-the-mud for a wife?" Despite his words, he spoke in a soft, gently teasing tone. She felt her muscles relax slightly. "Let's go to sleep, hm? Maybe tomorrow you'll be a little more interesting." His weight lifted off the bed, and she shot him a grateful look as he stood over her.

"…Thank you," she murmured, the knot in her stomach coming nearly undone. He gave her a lopsided grin.

"Don't mention it," he said, moving to the other side of the bed. He blew out the candles on his side.

Maddie stood in the half-darkness, moving to open the trunk on her side. Her nightclothes were there, and, putting out her own candles, she quickly changed and undid the intricate braid her hair had been done up in for the wedding. Relief made her limbs feel limp, and she smiled a bit, knowing he couldn't see. Perhaps she'd received her understanding husband, after all.

xxxxxx

In the darkness, Gilbert lay on his side in the bed, facing his new wife. She really wasn't bad to look at, honestly; long, dark blonde hair, pale eyes that were a shade closer to purple than blue, soft curves that would tantalize a lesser being. He laughed silently, his eyes taking in every detail despite the lack of light. The first part of the deal was complete; he'd married the princess. Now, how long did he have to keep this up before he could go off and find something more entertaining to do? Two weeks, right? Maybe three, just in case. If Gilbert Beilschmidt died after a few weeks of marriage, the alliance between Hearts and Spades would still be intact. And then he could collect his fee and go off on his own.

He smiled, rolling to face the ceiling. Just a few weeks, then. He could tolerate three weeks.

* * *

**Author's Note:** This was actually my first time writing any sort of wedding scene. I hope it was up to standard!

I'm a little worried about how I'm writing everyone, Maddie and Gil especially. Are they becoming their traits? Or are they people _with _these traits? Well, maybe writing this will help me strengthen my character-writing skills. Maybe. XD

I hope what I'm writing isn't too confusing or hard to follow. It's one thing understanding what I myself have written, and another to understand what someone else has written.

Anyway, thanks for reading! If you could leave a review, I'd really appreciate it! :D


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